Are cold water divers better?

[Tigerman]

Its funny how people assume theres either cold water and little or no current OR warm, good vis and currents..
Its simply not so. Many places you have cold, low vis and currents all at once and surf being a typical trait of warm waters? Nah, dont think so.

How about a dive here? Saltstraumen Dykkersenter

 

[Hank49]

I'm not sure but I think TSandM was specifically asking Hank why he dives if he has 0 viz when he dives on the pipe. I was curious myself as to what kind of pipe this is and why it requires monitoring in 0 viz when the next day it might be 100'. Sorry Hank --- just nosy!

I run a shrimp hatchery and we have a 6 inch, PVC pipe going out into the sea....about 500 yards. We have to clean the intake end and check for any breaks which allow sand and silt to come into our reservoirs. And usually problems occur when the sea is rough, making vis that close to shore really bad.
This year has been especially bad. We've had a green algae bloom all along the coast since about May.

 

[Hank49]

Sometimes I go underwater just to get away from everything ... to "decompress" from all the other things in life that I have to worry about on a daily basis. Not being able to see anything isn't a distraction in that case ... in some respects it's an enhancement.
... Bob (Grateful Diver)

In that case, I prefer a nice massage over diving bad vis.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

In that case, I prefer a nice massage over diving bad vis.

To each their own ... I prefer my massage at 3 ATA's ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[VooDooGasMan]

Hank I wondered if you just was a retired fella that speared all the time and you must help family's buy giving them fish to eat, cause that's more fish for any one family can eat that you post on your pics.

Our cold waters has more sealife then you would Imagine, not so much for spearing, just overall. we can collect enough to make you not want to eat it, cause we have so many different and just so much, swimming scallops, clams, crab, octopus,musscles and of course shrimp.

Zky is correct you do not need a ton of gear, my diving as of yesterday has changed to shallower spearing, a single 7mm wetsuit, 18 pound weight belt a 70's plastic harness. and a 1st & 2nd stage and a j valve, speargun and a stringer. No need for any other gauges, max depth is a bit over 100'.

Warm water divers are not so much a less diver as there are so many great places to do very deep dives, cold water divers will not know how to take al80's 200' + and enjoy a great dive. I do it here all the time, it is no different in cold or warm, bad vis means nothing to me.

So if you want to add a drysuit a boat with a cabin sure you can add more gear but there is no reason. this year the topside even on monday and tuesday warm air on SI to warm you for next dive.

Decompression diving to deep depths will require a drysuit in cold water, so it depends on the diving you do on what you want to wear.

Coldwater divers are not better just dive differently.

 

[Hank49]

To each their own ... I prefer my massage at 3 ATA's ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Your masseuse must have really strong hands to work through your dry suit.

 

[GramsciBeat]

And now my two cents worth for anyone diligent enough to read all the way through to p15 of this very amusing thread -
It seems most of the discussion really focuses on whether NE American divers are better than Florida divers, because other than the drysuit issue, none of the other factors that are constantly mentioned (such as current, surge, bad viz) are either unique to cold water diving or apply to all cold water diving spots. The worst viz I dived in was at 28 degrees (Celsius), while I've been in 22 Degree waters where experienced cold water divers have simply refused to get in the RIBs because of the big seas and anticipated nasty currents (5-6 knots) across the reef. Neither of those challenges were temperature dependent.
Ignoring resort divers - because there are very few of those in colder waters - I reckon if you take divers with a similar number of dives they will be better in the environment in which they do most of their diving in and probably equally adaptable to new environments should the want to experience those conditions. For me the most important indicator of diving ability (but definitely not only) is how much time in the water and when last ...
Of course, my definition of what a better diver diver is, might be very different to yours.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Your masseuse must have really strong hands to work through your dry suit.

Indeed ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[endurodog]

He looks a little "handsy" Bob.